A new flashlight by ThorFire: Introducing the ThorFire TK18. I was cruising Amazon last month while the snow was falling, shortly after the new year when I came across a couple new flashlights by Thorfire. First up to review is this one. ThorFire TK18: (non aff) http://amzn.to/2qgKI0a I was immediately interested in this light featuring multiple UI’s: a ramping UI, and a 5 mode UI. There’s also a new style of machining for ThorFire that looked very attractive. I bought one for full retail of $28.80 with free prime shipping and after some back and forth emails with a ThorFire representative I was offered a refund after my unbiased review. There is currently a 30% off deal on Amazon right now for this light. Deal Price: $20.86 30% OFF Coupon Code: 3VSIRROL NEW CODE: TTI5OSLE Typical packaging like the other ThorFire lights I’ve received, plain cardboard box, instruction manual, spare O-rings. Battery not included with this one. The Thorfire TK18 Features include a lighted side switch, a tail switch, XPL-2 led emitter, 18650 or CR123 battery capability, 2 user select-able UI’s, 18 month warranty, and more that I’ll get into in this review. A quick demo video of the UI outdoors is here: https://youtu.be/57L_pKgXGDk I also compare the ramping feature of the TK18 with the ThorFire BLF Q8’s ramping in the video.

The TK18 is a new light by Thorfire. Here it’s compared next to another new ThorFire light the TK05 it’s like the TK18 has a little brother. I included them side by side since the new styling is so similar. There’s also a discount code for the TK05 (non aff) http://amzn.to/2qrGOSk
30% OFF coupon code for TK05: YOT6PMLQ

The TK18 has a forward clicky tail switch to turn the light off and on, can also be used for momentary. Side switch is used to change UI and Mode selection.

Stainless pocket clip and pineapple style knurling on body. The side switch protrudes enough to easily find it when in your hand even with gloves on.

The TK18 features a lighted side switch that indicates the charge level of the battery. A fully charged battery is indicated with a green light like this down to 3.4 volts and turns orange from 3.4 volts down to 3 volts. at 3 volts down to 2.8 volts the side light turns red to let you know it’s time to charge or replace the batteries. Any lower than 2.8 and the light will slow blink for 1 minute and then shuts itself off to protect the battery.

I did a line up of all the ThorFire side switched lights I had available to me for a comparison shot. From left to right: TK05, TK15, TK15S, TK18, and the BLF Q8. It really looks like ThorFire has stepped up their machining a notch with the last couple new lights. Really very very nice metalwork and anodizing on the two newest TK05 and TK18.

The ThorFire TK18 features a gold coated spring in each end of the light and enables the use of either button top or flat top batteries. Smooth lubed threads, flawless machining and anodizing. Holes for lanyard attachment, and a stainless pocket clip.

Here the TK18 is next to a convoy C8 for a size comparison. The TK18 is fairly long as far as EDC lights go, but not unmanageable.

This is a runtime graph using a freshly charged samsung 30q 18650 cell. Light was placed on turbo and allowed to do it’s thing. The light has a timed step down at 3 minutes from turbo. You can override the step down by turning it back up with the side switch. The light gets fairly warm but not enough to burn a hole in your pocket or cause blisters.

On turbo with a freshly charged cell it was drawing around 2.9 amps at the tailcap.

On moonlight mode around 3 lumens.

On medium around 100 lumens. About 60 feet to other side of river.

On High about 500 lumens.

On turbo about 1200 lumens. Camera limitations really doesn’t capture much difference between High and Turbo but visually in person there’s quite a perceivable difference. Here’s a short video demonstrating the UI: https://youtu.be/57L_pKgXGDk

A quick shot of the light unscrewed showing the driver and tail switch ends. I wont be taking it apart any further, due to my poor vision I would never get it back together. There are some tear down albums out there if you look for them. I’m not sure of the exact changes between this light and older ThorFire lights, but these new ones just seem a little bit nicer. The machining, the assembly, the new UI’s. It’s nice to see a manufacturer making improvements and fresh designs.

A parting shot. I didn’t notice an IPX rating on the amazon page, just a note that it was water resistant and suitable for heavy rain. So I took a chance and dropped it in a pot of water for a few minutes for fun and science. I’m not saying that you should try this with yours and it really wasn’t very scientific but it did fine and still works fine after a couple minutes being in a pan of water while on. Afterwards I took it apart and did not see any water intrusion. Overall I would say it’s another quality light from ThorFire with lots of features at a great price of under $30 bucks. PROS: Neutral tint, excellent styling and machining, momentary, UI choice, good mode spacing on the UI without ramping, very bright, battery indicator, low voltage protection, water resistant. CONS: The ramping seems a tad bit slow compared to a few other lights I have with it. For example the Q8 ramping is much faster. After using the Q8 for a bit it especially seemed slow. Now that I’ve had it and been using it for a month, I think I got used to the lengthy ramping and it doesn’t bug me as much as when I first got it. It seems a bit on the larger end of size range for pocket carry, but still do-able. Stuff I Would like to see from ThorFire: Maybe make the ramping faster. Maybe Include a lanyard and or a holster option, especially with the lights that are on the larger side like this one. THANKS FOR READING! Coming up soon: ThorFire TK05, Wubenlight TO10R

I have this light and love it. It’s my current EDC. As OP stated the ramping is very slow and not very smooth compared to the BLF-Q8 which has amazingly smooth ramping at the perfect speed. I dislike the ramping so much on the TK18 that I only use it in the preset brightness setting mode. The modes are perfectly spaced. A great quality light and at a reasonable price.

I have this light and love it. It’s my current EDC. As OP stated the ramping is very slow and not very smooth compared to the BLF-Q8 which has amazingly smooth ramping at the perfect speed. I dislike the ramping so much on the TK18 that I only use it in the preset brightness setting mode. The modes are perfectly spaced. A great quality light and at a reasonable price.

Yes the ramping is slow compared to the Q8. I disliked the slowness at first, but I think I’m used to it now.
Not bad at all on the regular non-ramping UI, well spaced modes. I like the momentary too.
I’m glad to see them making some changes regarding styling and UI. Next up since they are making some changes: more emitter choices please, and is it asking too much for a holster and lanyard?

The bad:
a. Ramping… I was hoping for something close to the perfect Q8 ramping – and that’s the main reason I got TK18 – but no, it is slow and jumpy, really slow, like I want to hit it to the wall slow. Nope, let’s pretend there is no such thing as ramping on this light.

The good:
a. Ramping might be awful but mode changing is sweet. Low -> Med -> High -> Turbo -> High -> Med -> Low (repeat). Much better than Low -> Med -> Hi -> Turbo and then again Low. I haven’t used it enough yet to know if I like modes spacing.
b. Machining is good and overall quality is also good, very nice Thorfire
c. Switches feel good
d. Great price (using coupon)

The will see:
a. Clip. I don’t really like the looks of the clip and it’s not deep carry, but… surprisingly it clips very well and at a nice position in my pocket so I won’t change it right away with my preferred one (the one BLF A6 use). It could be that, for this light, this already is the perfect clip, we’ll see.

Right now, it took the place of Klarus XT2CR in my pocket and in the next few days I will know if it’s good enough to keep a place with the winners in my EDC rotation or it will stay on my desk with the other EDC fails. Right now, it looks like a winner.

Still waiting on the “light only” from the group buy. Yes, yes, I know I could cancel and perhaps get a crappy charger and questionable battery with the “bundle order” and get it much sooner. I don’t wanna do that. It’s become a quest to receive this TK18. It’s been months and I refuse to back down. SEND ME THE TK18! I don’t need the charger, I don’t need the unknown-branded battery, and I don’t even need the flashlight—I just want them to show me that after all this time, they can send it to me. BWAAAH—HA-HA—HAAA Send it or even don’t send it—I don’t care anymore. BWAAAH-HAH -HA-HA—HAAAH!